USA > Massachusetts > Essex County > Swampscott > Town annual report of Swampscott 1911 > Part 10
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Some words have acquired a wealth of meaning because of their associations. The dictionary defines home as the place of abode or a place of rest. The same definition describes the roof that shelters our chickens. A home means something more than a place where one is housed. A world of sacred experiences have been associated with the term. It is a place made sacred by father and mother ; it is a place where authority is respected : it is a place where obedience is cheerfully and promptly renderd it is a place where simple habits prevail and tenderness is a ministering angel. Here, too, opportunity is a blessing and ambition is sane and proper. When this word is spoken there appears on the canvas a picture clear in outline, beautiful in subject and inspiring in teaching. With such a knowledge of word history and word association the pupil is able to under- stand what others have read, and to use language in such a way as to indicate that he is not a novice stumbling in the twilight of his own ignorance.
It would be better for our children and better for the com- munity with which they are or may be associated, if the schools can give them better ideas of facts. These stubborn things have always been with us and will remain to the end. They should see, however, that isolated details, are difficult to master and when mastered, they become difficult to remember. They are burdens increasing in weight as they increase in numbers and as we add to the length of time they are to be retained. When related and we see this relation, they are of service because they they give us an understanding of the perseverance involved in them, and a conception of the teachings they embody. One's knowledge becomes more valuable when he knows a thing so well that he
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is unconscious of his knowledge. We are learning the foolish- ness of trying to become wise by making ourselves walking ency- clopedias. Unless facts illuminate and stimulate our investiga- tions, it would be better to house them in books than in our heads. We are beginning to learn that these labors not only sap the vitality out of life, but communicate to it a certain wooden quality which takes from it warnth, richness, and power. The man weighed with details grows narrower with the years of learning as his hoard increases. Such a one has lost all his use- fulness when he has told the few things he knows.
To teach the child to read is indispensable but it is much more important to teach him to read with profit, to know what to read, to love to read the right thing and to be able to pull the pith from the printed page and make it a part of his being. Much of our information must come through reading and good sense will not limit the amount. The healthful soul loves the culture that comes through reading. As the plant turns in- stinctively towards the light so the human soul turns toward knowledge and every school ministers, however humbly, to the fulfillment of this noblest of human aspirations. Our intel- ligence is the divine spot within us and the more we fan it into a flame the more certainly will the world in which we live be enveloped in celestial light and human life will fulfill its divine purpose.
Our social conditions demand that we do much reading in order to prevent excessive materialistic tendencies. Our com- mercial successes tend to make cowards of us all. We are too likely to be blinded by materialism and we hardly know whether to serve God, or Mammon, but if we do our part in correcting this social danger by providing proper culture, we shall preserve our institutions and our existence. We must decide in this country whether we believe in the goodness of God, as we certainly do in the dexterity of the devil, and shape our national life accord- ingly and not be praying now to God, and now to the devil, and wondering which is going to carry us off after all. Good reading is a valuable means of instilling in the pupil correct ethical ideals.
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High School.
I most heartly concur with the Principal's recommendation concerning the need of a course in Domestic Science. Women's interests are constantly being directed away from the home and the school should provide some corrective for this social trend. The homes of the future should be better cared for and should be made more attractive. A survey of the present activities and interests of women indicates the range of duties which women must be fitted to perform. In spite of prejudices and con- servatism many paths have been opened and followed by an increasingly large number of women. So successful have women been in many of the new fields in which they have been employed such as some grades of teaching, librarianship and clerical work, and so valuable have been the services rendered that not only has public protest practically ceased but the right is freely accorded to them to use their powers to the full. In certain other fields, and especially where rank, remuneration and adminis- tration or even academic authority bring women into seemingly direct competition with men, obstacles still exist and barriers are raised.
In other fields, again, women occupy a place and perform tasks which arouse a genuine and widespread feeling of alarm. These various industrial and commercial pursuits which threaten women's health are prolonged hours of toil, insufficient wages. unsanitary surroundings and unprotected machinery. It is the duty of our schools to help correct these social evils by creating a better social estimate of life. The school should then, provide suitable training for a self-supporting woman and it should also help her make her vocation respectable. This can be done by the school creating an interest in, and sympathy for, industry. The school should provide a course in domestic science in order to increase social sympathy for the self-supporting class and at the same time benefit the coming house-wife for her duties of life. A greater sympathy for others will tend to find work for the leisure class women. She will become the philanthropic, religious, civic, educational and æsthetic worker, the volunteer public servant. The drone or social parasite, the woman of
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fashion, will always be with us, but she will not be the typical woman of the twentieth century. It is to be hoped that this class will be gradually diminished in response to the ethical and economic standards and demands of an advancing civilization. Let us provide and hope for better homes, wider scope for the development of individuality, more enthusiastic appreciation of the rôle of the family in the state, truer protection, more generous affection, which will bind the family more strongly as a unit. These are some of the aims to be accomplished by furnishing industrial training for the girls.
The School as a Social Factor.
No school is worthy of the name unless a child taught therein comes to have a sense of his personal, community, and national responsibility. This knowledge will show him that every viola- tion of rules or laws, every instance of malicious destruction of property, every manifestation of vandalism, every exhibition of impudence and insolence, every form of disrespect for persons, places, positions, and sacred things, help to make possible the development of an anarchist and the evolution of an assassin. When the school shall have come into its highest estate, the child will grow to feel his accountability to himself and to that power which has given him life, that he may hasten the day for which the world is toiling, with a faith manifest in good works as beautiful in spirit as wonderful in results. Even the child should learn that the welfare of this nation does not rest in the hands of the rulers, but in the lives of the common people. If this is to be a safe and wholesome country to live in, the mul- titude must come to appreciate the fact that true greatness con- sists in simplicity, Godliness, faithfulness, individuality, and fidelity in doing one's duty in the place in which he stands. It is desired too that one be able and willing to do his work - the work that he has been fitted by nature and training to do. The desire to walk under one's own hat; the ability to earn the hat ; the competency to do one's own reading, thinking, voting; the determination to represent one's self and count one when stand- ing alone, are instances of a working plan of life the world much needs in these days.
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Ethical Influence of the School.
The teacher should help the child to something better than a mastery of text books if he is to do the work of life worthily. His school experience should teach him that he is loser if he makes it necessary for anyone to fight for his rights whether they be social, financial, political, or religious. Not only should the pupil feel charitable toward his fellows but he should be able to feel a truth as well as to know it. One has wisely said ; " There are a thousand who can talk for one who can think and a thou- sand who can think for one who can feel ; for to feel is poetry, philosophy, and religion all in one." No school can assist in fitting a child for life unless it leads him to feel the truth which he gathers from others. Our great poets have been the historians of the future and have lived most because they have loved most. The thrilling pulse of nature has startled them with its power : the wisdom embodied in the daisy has taught them of life, death, and the judgment to come. They have read the records written in the rocks because they have been in touch with nature.
The Value of Art Instruction.
The child should be taught something of great masters. He must learn that each have loved some form of nature with a great passion ; that each had a purpose to which he was true through appalling suffering : that each sweat great drops of blood that our lives might be better lived and that each opened the windows of the souls of millions and let in the light of truth and beauty. A child should be led not only to see and to appreciate the beautiful but also to express it in artistic form. Our work in drawing and painting largely supplies this need. The walls of our schoolrooms are fairly well decorated with cheap but attractive works of art.
Conclusion.
I wish to thank the teachers and patrons for their kind and helpful cooperation.
Respectfully submitted,
T. B. FORD, Superintendent.
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Report of Principal of High School. Mr. Thomas B. Ford, Superintendent of Schools :
DEAR SIR,-I take pleasure in submitting to you my fourth annual report of the High School.
Teachers.
At the close of the year in June, 1910, Miss Knight resigned and has been spending the year in travel abroad. Miss Butler, the teacher of Science, also resigned to accept a similar but more attractive position in the Beverly High School. Miss Butler had been connected with the school for the past five years, and during that time had proved a most efficient teacher. Her resignation was a source of much regret. The places made vacant by these two teachers were filled by the appointment of Miss Alma H. Sander, a graduate of Boston University, and a successful teacher in the North Dartmouth High School, and Miss Ethel L. Hersey, a graduate of Wellesley College, who had been doing excellent work in the Whitman High School. Miss Eleanor D. Clement, a graduate of Mount Holyoke College, was appointed to a new position made by the increase in the size of the school. These new members of the teaching staff have entered upon their work with enthusiasm, and are accomplishing good results.
The School.
The total enrollment since September, 1910, has been 179, a very gratifying increase over a year ago. These pupils have been seated in five rooms containing 188 desks. It will be possible to place in these rooms 22 more desks, and as it is probable that the enrollment will be larger next year, I, there- fore, ask that the above number of desks be procured before the opening of the school in September.
Commercial Department.
During the summer vacation, one of the recitation rooms on the second floor of the school, together with the adjoining dress- ing room, was remodeled into a bookkeeping room and a
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typewriting room for the use of the commercial department. A glass partition between the two rooms makes it possible, wheni necessary, for one teacher to take charge of both rooms at the same time. The new equipment of typewriting tables, book- keeping desks, chairs and banking counter give the room a very business-like appearance ; while the superior results which are being obtained under the new conditions are very gratifying. As one of the pupils said, " It makes you feel as if you wanted to work." Another said, "I wish we had had this equipment when I was taking bookkeeping."
As an incentive to acquiring greater proficiency in typewriting, Mr. J. L. Greeley of Swampscott, who represents the Reming- ton Typewriter Company, has presented to the school a solid gold medal, which will be given to that pupil who, in June, shall do the best work in a competitive test in this subject.
Lunch Room.
In my annual report of two years ago, I mentioned the desira- bility of a lunch room in the building, where pupils could, for a few cents, secure at recess a small lunch of home prepared food. This subject touched a warm spot in the hearts of the members of the Mothers' Club, and at the opening of the school term in January the lunch room became a reality. The School Com- mittee arranged in one of the rooms in the basement the neces- sary counters, closets, shelves, sink, and a gas range, while the Mothers' Club provided the dishes and cooking utensils. Mrs. Flora C. Graham has been in charge of the lunch room since its opening, and with the assistance of volunteer members of the Mothers' Club has admirably catered to the varied tastes of the pupils.
Alumni Scholarship.
The readiness with which the many suggestions I have made for imrpoving the conditions of the school have been accepted and brought to realization has been a source of much gratifica- tion to me, but during the period of four years in which I have been principal of the school. nothing has given me greater
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pleasure than the willingness and alacrity with which the Alumni have taken hold of my suggestion to provide, yearly, a scholar- ship which shall be available during the first year, to some worthy pupil in the school who is preparing for college. I un- derstand that such a scholarship will be offered by the Alumni this year, and the undertaking deserves the highest cooperation on the part of every graduate and member of the school, both present and past.
Prize Speaking Contest.
The annual prize speaking contest for the Phillips medals took place in High School on the evening of Friday, May 27, 1910. The judges, Mr. Joseph A. Ewart, Principal of the Bentley Grammar School of Salem, Mr. Roy Bergengren, and Mr. Guy Newhall awarded the medals to Marion D. Chesley, 1914, and Charles M. Smith, 1910. The second prizes, consisting of a set of Longfellow's Poems and a set of Bryce's "American Commonwealth," were assigned to Phyllis E. Littlefield, 1913, and Thomas E. Benner, 1910.
Class Gift.
The graduating class of 1910 most generously remembered the school in their class gift. Three large framed pictures, The Spirit of '76, Washington Crossing the Delaware, and the Battle of Lexington, and a gift of twenty dollars for the purchase of other pictures will make a splendid nucleus for decorating the wall of some room with scenes from American History.
Manual Training and Domestic Science.
The classes in manual training continue under the charge of Mr. William F. Eastwood. The work in general has followed much along the lines of previous years. In the second year, however, more attention has been given to joinery and pattern making, and consequently, in the exhibition in June, there will be seen less cabinet work. I believe that the work in manual training should be extended to include the boys in the sub-fresh- man class and I hope that provision for this may be made before
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another year. The training thus gained would greatly enhance the value of the course during the freshman and sophomore years.
We have manual training for the boys but nothing corre- sponding to offer the girls. The movement for industrial training should include the interests of girls as well as boys and in order more nearly to fulfill our duties we should be able to offer our girls instruction in sewing, cooking and household economics. It seems to me highly desirable that there should be introduced into the school curriculum some form of domestic science.
Athletics.
For several years the boys of the school have had their base- ball and football teams and they have met with a fair amount of success. On several occasions paid coaches have been secured by the Athletic Association but the small amount of benefit thus derived has been shared only by the few boys who had been able to make the teams. Until this year nothing has been done for the physical development of the girls. A few weeks ago the School Committee generously fitted up the school hall for their use. Through the financial assistance of the Athletic Association we were fortunate in securing the services of Miss Claire Donohoe of Lynn who has devoted two afternoons a week to instructing those girls who wished in physical culture and basket ball. I hope that the time is not far distant when physical culture may be introduced as an elective course in the school. Many schools have recently added to their faculty, a teacher who, in addition to a small number of regular classes, has charge of the physical instruction of the school and coaches the athletic teams in the afternoon. Athletics have now become strongly intrenched in our public schools and they should be properly supervised.
Laboratory Apparatus.
I had hoped that before this time the school might be equipped with an up-to-date combination projecting lantern and reflecto- scope. I fully realize that it is impossible to secure everything
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at once, and that the more pressing necessities must have pre- cedence : but if patient waiting has its reward, I am certain this need in the school will soon be supplied.
When the physical laboratory apparatus was moved into the new laboratory, much of it was found to be either in need of repair or so badly corroded as to be worthless. Consequently, during the past three years, the appropriation for this depart- ment has been expended in replacing rather than in extending the equipment. Many of our boys are interested in wireless telegraphy, and some even have their own instruments. On a number of occasions, the teacher has been forced to borrow from these pupils in order to bridge over the difficulty of teaching this subject without the apparatus. The school should own its own wireless equipment, and I hope that some provision may be made for the same.
Co-operation from the Home.
Pupils old enough to attend the High School are old enough to study and study hard, and not plead sickness when their lessons are less interesting or more difficult, or when the teacher is dis- inclined to accept poorly prepared lessons. On the report card attention is called to the fact that two hours of home study is as little as the average pupil can give and still do satisfactory work. I find that most of the failures come from those pupils who tell their parents that they can learn their lessons in the study periods at school. Under this pretext. they gain the sanction of the home to attend the moving picture shows, read library books of questionable literary value, and do the thousand and one other things that present themselves,-none of which help them in mastering mathematics, history, or English lessons. If parents would more closely watch pupils in their home study, and then, if failure comes, consult directly with the teachers, as to the cause, and try the suggestions they have to offer, they would in most cases find that the report card at the end of the term would tell a different story, and the task of the teacher would be greatly lightened.
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Conclusion.
A goodly number of the pupils are evidently coming to school for work and not for play. The pupils at all times find the teachers willing to give them help and the ambitious ones are back at the afternoon sessions to acquire it. The school spirit is unusually good and there is an apparent feeling of good will existing between pupils and teachers that cannot fail in the end to be productive of satisfactory results.
Respectfully submitted,
HAROLD W. LOKER.
Report of Principal of Clarke School.
Mr. Thomas B. Ford, Superintendent of Schools :
DEAR Sir,-In September of this year, Miss Annie W. Chase secured a school in her home town, at a more remunerative salary, and Miss Grace R. Makepeace of Marston's Mills, Cape Cod, was selected to fill the vacancy.
The second-grade pupils were distributed between the Red- ington and Machon schools, and a new seventh-grade was opened in the second grade room here, with Miss Nellie J. Wentworth. as instructor.
Miss Florence Gregg was placed in charge of the fifth grade.
We have been fortunate in having little sickness to prevent pupils' attendance.
We would urge that the parents, especially of the younger children, start their little ones in time, so that we may have less tardiness, and we would encourage many less requests of dis- missal.
These periods lost are often essential to the pupils' welfare and advancement, and could be easily avoided. if the parents would consider their requests more carefully.
The speaking tubes, connecting each room with the office. have operated imperfectly since their installation, and their proper adjustment is imperative.
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The fixtures for artificial lighting are very essential, alike for pupils and teachers.
Each year the finance committee acknowledges the wisdom and justice of these two contentions but do not advise an appropri- ation sufficient for them to be granted, often preventing success- ful and efficient work.
Respectfully submitted,
FRANCES A. GOULD.
Report of Principal of Redington School.
Mr. Thomas B. Ford, Superintendent of Schools :
DEAR SIR,-I herewith submit my report of Redington School.
The most serious obstacle to the highest progress of the Red- ington School is the cramped, inconvenient and unsanitary con- dition of the building. These conditions are constantly becom- ing worse and will increase until the tax payers fully realize that inefficiency in school work is the inevitable result of an over- crowded building. The first four grades are on the ground floor of the building where two grades were originally intended to be accommodated. Three years ago, this change was made possible by tearing down old partitions and putting up new ones of matched boards. That was to be a temporary arrangement but we are still in the old building. The citizens can readily see what a serious handicap this is to both the children and teachers. With music lesson or any concert work being done in one grade, it is extremely difficult for the class in the next room to con- centrate and give their undivided attention to their own class work. There are fifty-six pupils in the fifth grade and it is accommodated in a long, narrow room lighted from the back and the right instead of the left side. The entrance from the first floor to the boys' basement is very dark and narrow, and I am astonished that the little boys starting in for the first time are not more frightened. Unless the ground is frozen, the yard is a mass of mud and that makes it difficult to keep the schoolrooms in good condition.
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We are expected to turn out a certain product and it is right and proper that such a result should be expected, but with the present accommodations we cannot be held responsible for results. It seems to me that the average citizen does not realize the con- ditions under which we are working.
While the registration in the schools is large, the daily attend- ance is not all that it might be. A prolonged epidemic of mumps has seriously interrupted the work in all grades, other- wise the health of the children has been good. Children should be regular and prompt in attendance. Sickness, and urgent need at home are the only good reasons for absence, tardiness or dismissal.
In September, Miss DeLorey was transferred to the Machon School and Miss Marion Newcomb appointed as assistant in her place.
Considering the disadvantages under which we are working, the school is progressing well.
Respectfully submitted, ALICE SHAW.
Report of Principal of Machon School.
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